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OF  THE 

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JOSEPH  &  HIRAM  SMITH, 


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THE  MORMON  PROPHET  AND  PATRIARCH* 


At  CARIHAGE,  Illinois 

v# . 

June  37th,  1844, 


BT  AN  ETE  WITNESS, 

T.  A.  LYNE, 

L«t«  tf  Om  6ug#> 


TO  WHICH  IS  ANNEXED  THE 

SPEECH  OF  H.  L.  REID, 


i  L80. 


SPEECH  OF  JAMES  W.  WOODS. 


TO  WHICH  IS  ADDED 

A.  BRIEF  OUTLINE 

or’FIIK 

FAITH  AND  DOCTRINE 

OF  THE 

LATTER  DAST  SAINTS. 


spy. 


*  / 


NEVY-YORK  i 

PRINTED  BY  C,  A.  CALHOUN; 

No.  1  Division. Street!  . 

•  1844.  \  f'<v 

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/'  '  * 
f  vr?  •, 


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S  * '  *  (' 


4 


\ 


I  certify  that  this  Phamplet  is  a  true  statement  of  the  leate  melan- 
cholly  facts  that  transpired  at  Nauvoo  and  its  vicinity. 


ELDER  G.  J.  ADAMS. 


V 


PM 

tcnt 


A  TRUE  AND  DESCRIPTIVE  ACCOUNT 

I 


OF  THE  LATE  AND  EVER  TO  BE 

LAMENTED  TROUBLES  AT  NAUVQO. 


The  urdersigned  offers  this  tc  his  friends  and  a  liberal  public  as  a 
true  statement,  deeming  this  truly  necessary,  to  correct  the  many 
exaggerations  that  the  penny-a-liners  are  ever  ready  to  snatch  at  to 
feed  the  unhallowed  maws  of  the  mad  religious  fanatics,  who,  had 
they  power,  would  strew  your  limbs  on  the  vast  prairies  of  our  once 
happy  republic,  where  every  man  once  had  the  liberty  of  worshipping 
his  G</d,:  as  his  reason  dictated,  “and  there  was  none  to  make 
him  afraid. ”  Alas  !  those  happy  days  are  gone,  gone  I  fear  never 
to  return  under  the  bright  escutcheon  of  our  nation’s  banner. 
But  away  with  such  gloomy  forebodings,  for  they  war  with  that 
nature  that  has  one  spark  of  patriotism  to  lcindlo  the  fire  of  liberty’s 
altar.  Under  emotions  trying  and  painful  wo  proceed  to  give  a  fair 
and  impartial  account  of  acts  for  hellishness  of  character,  I  will  give 
you  the  annals  of  sacred  and  profane  history  for  latitude  to  find  me 
an  equal  in  enormity  ;  cowardice,  treachery,  the  fa;th  of  men,  the 
honor  of  a  sovereign  slate,  coupled  with  the  fidelity  of  the  executive 
of  its  government,  you  cannot  find  a  parallel  to  this  most  savage-like 
tragedy,  enacted  in  the  meridian  of  the  nineteenth  century,  when 
every  hamlet  rears  its  church  spire  as  an  insignia  that  there  is  tho 
sanctuary  of  the  Most  High  God.  O  !  foul  blot  upon  the  page  of  a 
\  nation’s  history,  what  mineral  of  virtue  will  extract  thy  infamy,  that 
we  may  hail  at  home  and  abroad  without  a  blush,  that  we  are  tho  sons 
of  righteous  America. 

First,  then,  let  tho  liberal  and  civilized  world  bo  instructed  that 
Nauvoo  is  a  city  with  a  charter  liberal ;  with  all  the  privileges  that  a 
legislature  could  grant  has  been  lavished  no  doubt  by  tho  ascendant 
power  to  secure  the  “  Mormon”  influence  as  a  strong  card  in  the 
game  of  politics.  Among  other  indulgences  for  our  most  “  sweet 
voices,”  was  the  act  of  habeas  corpus,  granted,  when  it  has  been 
called  into  action,  to  defend  the  “  Mormons”  from  religious  and  poli¬ 
tical  persecutions.  The  defeated  cormorants,  that  would  at  once 
slay  soul  and  body  to  obtain  the  consummation  of  their  hellish  plans, 
have  started  all  the  little  dogs,  and  disaffected  of  our  land,  to  swell 
the  loud  yell  of  usurpation  of  power  by  the  Mormons,  and  rumour 
with  her  thousaud  tongues,  vomiting  forth  her  poisonous  lies  till  truth 
itself  dare  scarce  raise  its  head  to  contradict  the  Yile  calumny.  Among 


4 


the  city  laws  stands  this  conspicuous,  that  the  Mayor  and  Common 
Council  have  the  power  to  remove  and  abolish  all  unlicensed  estab-* 
lishmenis,  which  shall  he  declared,  in  their  wisdom,  as  a  nuisance — 
their  authority  Blackstcnc,  Under  this  head,  after  mature  delibera¬ 
tion,  fell  the  filthy  and  disgusting  sheet,  yclept,  the  “Nauyoo  Exposi¬ 
tor, n  having  no  purpose  to  work  righteousness,  but  all  evil,  destitute 
of  the  common*  but  to  them  uncommon,  quality  which  may  be  had 
without  cost,  common  honesty  and  c  nnmon  truth,  having  for  its  chief 
aim  revenge  on  those  who  had  cherished  them  as  brothers,  shared 
largely  in  their  confidence,  and  as  such  might  have  remained  ;  but, 
salan-like,  their  ambition  to  be  greater  than  the  Master-builder,  has 
hurled  them  from  their  once  high  estate  ;  their  minds  darkened,  they 
stumbled  from  sin  to  sin,  until  patience  ceased  to  be  a  virtue,  and 
the  church  excommunicated  them.  Of  all  enemies  save  us  from  the 
apostates  of  any  creed  ;  match  them  alone,  with  those  who  will  be¬ 
tray  the  confidence  of  others  after  having  sacredly  embraced  it ;  that 
once  gone,  no  circumference  is  wide  enough  for  their  bounding  wick¬ 
edness  ;  the  smell  and  $tain  of  blood  is  fuel  to  their  Cain-like  souls. 
Well,  in  view  of  evil  which  might  be  wrought  by  these  half-a-dozen 
demons  in  man’s  image,  disgracing  God’s  fair  outline,  their  engine 
that  circulated  the  foul  spfcwings  of  their  dark  and  foul  engenderings, 
viz  :  their  presswsia  destroyed.  This  destruction  would,  and  I  suppose 
will,  be  paid  in  full  for  the  overtact,  if  it  could  be  made  out  so.  Under 
such  trying  circumstance  the  lives&  property  of  thousands  w'us  threat¬ 
ened  by  those  whose  evil  deeds  they  have  scarcely  frowned  on,  or  if 
at  all,  more  in  sorrow  than  in  anger,  threatened  with  earthly  annihi¬ 
lation.  These  men  had  a  desperato  stake  at  issue,  they  had  on  a 
small  capital,  with  the  credit  they  had  gained  while  members  of  tho 
Mormon  Church,  built  largoly.  Now  we’ll  incite  the  spirit  of  mobo- 
cracy,  which  has  become  an  epidemic  in  our  land,  drive  out  the  inno¬ 
cent  community  ofNauvoo  ;  it  clears  us  of  our  liabilities,  a  compro¬ 
mise  with  the  sackers  ;  we  shall  then  become  the  masters  of  the 
beautiful  city  ofNauvoo.  O  !  the  limits  of  a  folio  would  not  explain 
the  deep  moves  of  this  wily  party.  Now  for  revenge,  not  pay,  for 
damages  done,  spouters  of  all  vocations,  from  the  blackleg  to  the 
minister  of  the  gospel,  were  engaged  ;  all  sorts  of  inflammatory 
speeches  trumpeted  forth  to  work  upon  the  sincerity  of  the  honest, 
by  gross  libels, — u  trampling  tlu  sacred  laws  of  the  Constitution  under 
Jool ” — “  the  liberty  oj  the  press” — “  a  law  breaking  people — “  arouse 
citizens  oj  Illinois !t — 41  buckle  on  your  annour” — 44 the  Mormons” — 
44  the  crisis  has  arriped  that  calls  Jor  all  your  energies  to  punish  home 
t his  high-handed  act — “  indiscriminate  extermination  to  ?/ian,  woman , 
and  child”— u  be  the  word  of  our  onset” — 44  vtugeance” — with  such 
cheering  epithets,  to  encourago  the  wicked  to  acts  of  blood  upon  the 
Mormons.  Citizens  of  the  United  States,  do  you  know  this  comrnu- 


Aity,  they  ave  your  brethren,  diffeiing  only,  hi*  true,  on  most  impor¬ 
tant  points  as  to  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  but  in  that,  and  in  all  else,  if 
our  Constitution  is  worth  any  thin*;,  your  free  and  equal  citizens, 
whose  fathers  purchased  by  the  dear  sacrifice  of  their  blood,  the  rights 
that  many  are  now  ready  to  destroy.  Who  is  there  so  traitorous  to 
the  love  of  country  as  would  try  to  alienate  one  true  heart  from  the 
stars  and  stripes  of  our  hitherto  justly  boasted  republic,  I  hope  the 
number  is  few  ;  remember  when  you  make  war  upon  men  for  their 
religious  feelings  you  touch  the  chords  that  will  produce  the  most 
dreadful  discord  ;  all  ties  sink  into  nothingness  when  their  God  and 
their  faith  is  a  consideration,  to  which  all  temporal  things  unhesitating¬ 
ly  give  place.  I  need  not  refer  you  tothe  cause  that  drove  the  pilgrims 
to  our  land,  back  to  the  manifold  persecution  since  the  days  of  Christ 
and  hi?  followers.  As  to  the  liberty  of  the  press  being  made  a  pre- 
tert  for  this  ungodly  move  to  drive  the  Mormons,  I  think  in  the  pre¬ 
sent  case,  the  word  “abusers’’  of  the  press  would  be  most  appropri¬ 
ate  if  inserted.  What  arc  the  knights  of  the  type  afraid  of  that  they 
.so  readily  join  their  power  with  the  wicked  I  do  they  think  this  wdl 
become  a  precedent,  and  they  will  have  to  limit  their  gall  for  the  fu¬ 
ture,  and  every  honest  man’s  character*  shall  not  be  at  the  merciful 
option  of  every  unprincipled  editor?  we  are  protected,  say  they  by 
our  glorious  Constitution,  and  under  its  protecting  wings  cvciy  scoun¬ 
drel  that  can  beg  or  filch  a  few  hundred  dollars,  may  purchase  this 
foimidublo  engine,  and  with  the  brood  charter  of  liberty  of  the  press, 
may  a-t  once  elevate  himself  to  the  dignity  of  editorship,  the  guardian 
of  the  people’s  morals,  without  a  requisite  of’  a  moral  religious  char¬ 
acter  ;  but,  abundantly  rife  in  every  essential  of  wickedness,  we  wish 
for  no  censorship  over  the  press,  hut  let  the  men  that  stand  at  the 
head  of  our  public  journals  be  patronised  for  the  wholesome  truths 
that  shall  grace  their  columns,  rather  than  the  digusting  ribaldry  that 
is  now  disseminating  ‘its  poisonous  intluence  over  our  once  justly 
governed  land.  O  !  for  an  acting  discriminating  power,  that  we 
.  might  shear  some  of  theke  unrighteous  would-be  editors  of  their  large 
liberty,  the  freedom  of  the  press.  Such  was  the  filthy  and  depraved 
character  of  the  “  Nauvoo  Expositor,”  not  as  a  useful  press,  but  as 
a  most  offensive  nuisance;  destroyed  in  the  wisdom  of  the  Mayor  nnd 
Council,  with  the  honest  intention  of  paying  for  the  same;  no  mob  was 
required  to  carry  this  into  execution  ;  the  marshal,  Mr.  Green,  going 
with  a  ffw  individuals  takes  this  most  pernicious  abuser  of  the  liberty 
of  tht  j/resSf  and  with  the  aid  of  a  siege-hammer  breaks  it  to  pieces, 
and  burns  the  fixtures.  Now,  let  me  add,  by  way  of  trespassing 
upon  the  rights  of  the  press,  as  a  palliation,  here  was  the  character 
.of  an  entire  city  defamed  beyond  all  limits,  the  characters  of  inno¬ 
cent  and  timid  females  exposed  to  the  world  as  lost  and  abandoned  to 
Cvery  principle  of  virtue,  by  suffering  this  vehicle  to  issue  more  of  its 


I 


obscene  numbers  where,  in  a  cily  of  u  poj  ula  ion  of  15,000,  they  had 
not  for  its  patrons,  a  tythe  of  tho  twentieth  part  of  that  respectable 
number,  conveying  the  notion  to  the  world  that  half  thb  population 
wa^  infected,  or  we,  tacitly  acknowledging  the  same  to  exist  ;  was  it 
safe  under  such  desperate  circumstances  to  allow  it  to  vomit  lorth 
another  number  to  excite  tho  surrounding  counties,  that  were  already 
strongly  prejudiced  against  the  Mormon  body,  in  consequence  of  the 
vile  misrepresentations  as  to  their  religious  observances.  But,  to 
leave  this  part  of  the  subject,  they  can  only  feel,  and  then  judge,  who 
have  known  th  it  despeiale  diseases  require  like  remedies  ;  while 
they  waited  th  3  laws’  delay,  the  Mormons  would  have  been  driven 
from  their  homo-;,  and  I  add,  without  a  lie,  the  shedding  of  much  in¬ 
nocent  blood.  YVhat  control  a  inob  of  the  19th  century,  under  a 
religious  enthusiasm  that  they  w'ould  render  their  God  an  important 
service  by  destroying  this  people  from  the  land  where  the  narrow 
chambers  of  death  hold  the  bones  of  their  fathers. 

The  world  is  ignorant  of  this  fact,  that  a  conspiracy  was  formed 
some  months  prior  to  this,  having  for  its  object  the  entire  destruc¬ 
tion  of  the  Smith  family,  but  God  for  bis  own  wise  purposes  permit¬ 
ted  it  not ;  time  I  believe  will  devclope  his  design  ;  giadually  the  evil 
one  was  approximating  his  machinations  to  a  bloody  climax  ;  now  to 
act  under  the  ambush  of  the  law,  we  will  send  a  writ  for  the  Mayor 
and  Common  Council  of  Nauvoo  to  como  to  Carthage,  and  be  tried 
tor  the  offence  of  destroying  the  press  under  the  support  of  tho  Laws, 
Fosters  and  Iligbees  the  constable,  was  no!  what  an  ofheer  should 
he,  viz.,  a  gentleman.  I  was  standing  near  Joseph  Smith  when  this 
high  authority  was  served;  after  some  altercation  ns  to  the  right  of 
dragging  a  mayor  and  Corporation  to  a  country  squire  for  trial.  I 
gave  my  advice  under  the  threatening  aspect  of  things;  right  or  wrong 
I  would  not  go,  his  life  w'as  all  they  wanted,  pot  justice,  knowing  this 
would  be  tha  result.  They  had  a  right  to  try  the  case  before  the 
Municipal  Court  at  Nauvoo,  or  at  tie  nearest  justice,  which  was  at 
Apaneaus;  my  man  with  a  little  brief  authority,  with  imprecations, 
insisted  on  their  going  to  Carthage  ;  the  act  of  habeas  corpus  rescued 
them  from  this  arbitrary  course,  and  let  me  add,  a  fair  and  imparti.il 
trial  was  held  as  to  the  Cartlnge  writ,  and  they  were  honourably  ac¬ 
quitted.  Now  large  masses  of  people  were  gathering,  in  the  interim, 
at  Carthage  and  Warsaw;  the  militia  from  several  counties,  as  if  some 
dreadful  invasion  was  threatened  by  the  allied  powers  of  Kurope,  were 
coming  in  all  directions.  I  wonder  if  these  bra/e  spirits  that  are  so 
ready  to  exterminate  their  neighbors,  I  might  say  brothers  by  the  ties 
of  consanguinity,  would  grasp  the  war  knife  and  (he  rifle  with  tho 
same  alacrity  in  defence  of  their  country  and  their  flag  ?  I  doubt  it  ;  • 
I  would  only  trust  them  in  the  body  of  a  formidable  “  van  and  rear.” 
Now  know,  0 !  people  of  the  world !  Joseph  Smith’s  position! 


7 


Lieutenant  General  of  the  forces  of  Illinois,  subject  to  the  order  of 
the  Governor,  and  the  United  States  of  America,  Major  of  the  city 
of  Navuoo;  in  possession  of  all  tho  authority  that  those  high  stations, 
military  and  civil,  could  confer  on  him  ;  add  to  this  the  founder  of  a 
clvirch,  who,  in  the  short  space  of  fourteen  years,  in  defiance  of  all 
religious  persecutions,  can  tell  the  astounded  world  his  followers  at 
an  honest  estimate,  are  150,000  to  200,000.  Letters  were  address¬ 
ed  to  the  'executive  of  the  state,  asking  advice  and  his  interference. 

In  the  interim,  JVauvoo  and  its  inhabitants  threatened  with  destruction 
and  total  extermination,  prompt  were  the  measures  proposed  and  as 
promptly  obeyed  ;  the  Legion  were  ordered  to  protect  the  city,  the 
wives  and  children  ot  those  absent  and  present  ;  for  learn,  O  !  brave 
spirits,  there  are  from  seven  hundred  to  a  thousand  men  absent,  g  od 
and  true,  who  would  di&  cheerfully  in  the  cause  of  God,  in  defence  of 
their  country,  their  wives  and  little  ones  ;  and  these  are  J\1 onnons, 
preaching  the  everlasting  gospel,  which  is  the  gospei  of  Jesus  Christ 
rc-egtablished  in  the  last  days.  A  few  hours  after  orders  were  given, 
four  thousand  men  were  seen  in  Nauvoo,  with  a  courage  not  to  be 
disputed  ;  one  half  of  this  number  were  men  who  had  been  goaded, 
whipped,  and  their'brethren  slaughtered  in  the  state  of  Missouri,  hunt¬ 
ed  from  the  soil  where  they  had  reared  their  comfortable  dwellings, 
and  planted  their  vineyards  ;  their  old  wrongs  half  forgotten,  in  their 
charity,  and  forgiven  ;  obeying  the  divine  commandment  of  their  Lord 
and  Master,  Jesus  Christ,  came  back  again  with  the  persecuted  man  ; 
but  still  those  brave  spirits  were  quieted  by  the  kind  voice  of  him  who 
now  sleeps  the  peaceful  rest  of  a  just  man  made  perfect  ;  and  the 
head  of  a  great  and  a  mighty  people  has  gone  to  the  world  of  spirits, 
brethren  we  will  put  our  trust  in  Israel’s  God  to  protect  our  church 
and  homes.  On  the  21st  of  June  the  Legion  were  reviewed  by 
Joseph  Smith  and  his  staff;  strange  were  my  feelings  when  riding  by 
his  side,  scanning  features  of  men  of  every  clime  and  every  creed  : 
there  were  honest  infidels  there,  thank  God  not  against  our  country  or 
its  blessed  laws,  but  against  the  wicked  and  hellish  spirit  of  mobo- 
ciacy  ;  arrayed  in  battle  order  to  try  by  deadly  confiict,  whether  we, 
the  sons  of  America,  have  a  right  to  worship  our  God  in  our  way. — 
We  will  not  be  the  aggressors,  but  contend  unto  the  death.  The 
privileges  which  God  and  our  constitution  has  guarantied  to  us,  to 
wit,  the  honest  enjoyment  of  all  blessings  that  tho  free  denizens  of 
tho  United  States  are  entitled  to,  of  a  temporal  character,  and  tho 
unquestionable  right  to  beTieve  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  which 
wc  believe  means  what  it  says,  and  says  what  it  means.  We  are 
commanded  to  seach  the  Scriptures*  Do  so ;  and  compare  them 
with  the  Mormon  creed,  and  you  must  become  proselytes  to  the  re¬ 
ligion  of  the  “  Latter-day  Saints.”  The  city  was  now  well  guarded, 
and  prepared  for  the  contest.  All  was  excitement  without  the  city, 


1 

i 


8 


and  in  the  towns  on  the  river ;  farmers  forsaking  their  homesteads, 
the  steamboats  well  freighted  with  timid  women  and  their  frightened 
protectors  ;  while  at  Nauvoo,  in  the  prattle  of  children  to  the  auxious 
parent  was  asked  the  fearful  question,  Will  the  mob  drive  us  away 
and  burn  our  homes,  and  kill  our  paronts?  Is  this  America?  And, 
has  priestcraft  spread  its  unhallowed  leaven  throughout  our  land,  that 
for  opinion  sake,  as  to  the  mode  to  climb  to  heaven,  man  will  butcher 
his  fellow  man,  and  lay  his  fair  country  a  waste,  which  has  been  hail¬ 
ed  and  sung  in  earth’s  remotest  ends,  as  the  1  land  of  the  free  anu  (he 
home  of  the  brave”  :  let  us  close  the  book  of  our  imagination,  und 
call  it  a  dream,  it  is  too  frightful  to  be  reality.  Messengers  were 
passing  back  and  forth  with  instructions  from  Nauvoo  and  Carthage ; 
the  mob  burning  to  revenge  themselves  on  a  people  who  had  never 
injured  them  ;  but  their  feelings  had  been  played  upon  by  the  ene¬ 
mies  of  Mormonism,  who  in  their  holy  zeal  to  destroy  them,  had 
caution  enough  to  screen  themselves,  and  to  let  you  stai.d  as  the  as¬ 
sassinators  ;  they  were  the  planners,  and  you  the  tools  to  work  with  ; 
they  aloof  from  the  law  and  safe,  while  you  would  stand  branded  by 
the  world  as  murderers,  and  your  souls  lost  to  heaven — for  no  shed- 
der  of  innocent  blood  shall  enter  there.  The  Governor  of  Illinois 
arrives  at  Carthage, — is  familiar  with  the  abettors  of  this  work, — de¬ 
mands  the  mayor  and  common  council  of  Nauvoo  on  the  original 
writ  issued  at  Carthage — it  is  not  now  a  question  of  law, — but  obey 
the  mandate  sent,  or  take  the  consequences.  And  what  are  they  ? 
Why,  consider  every  bouse  in  Nauvoo  with  a  keg  of  powder  under 
it,  and  a  spark  ready  to  ignite  ;  and,  I  cannot  answer  for  the  violence 
of  a  mob  upon  the  inhabitants  ;  disband  the  Nauvoo  legion — they 
are  not  required — I  will  send  a  company  to  defend  you.  Captain 
Singleton,  with  about  sixty  men  to  defend  Nauvoo,  arrived.  Sur¬ 
render  the  Stalo  arms  ; — come  without  a  guard  to  Carthage — my 
honor  and  the  Jaith  oj  a  sovereign  state  is  pledged  for  your  personal 
safety.  Every  request  of  ihe  Governor  had  been,  as  good  citizens, 
complied  with  ;  a  patient,  suffering,  and  law  abiding  people,  and  as 
such  stand  recorded  in  the  ledger  of  heaven.  Show  me  a  commu¬ 
nity  threatened  as  they  were  by  a  desperate  mob,  with  their  wounds 
hardly  healed  from  their  sufferings  in  Missouri, aheir  substance  wast¬ 
ed,  their  forms  of  religion  scoffed  at,  rated  as  fanatics,  denounced  as 
men  of  the  basest  characters,  and  then  hear  their  leader  mildly  soy  ; 
Brethren  to  your  several  homes  ;  trust  once  more  to  the  powers  that 
be,  and  your  prayers  to  Israel’^  God  for  our  deliverance  :  and,  like 
dutiful  children  they  obeyed  that  kind  voice — to  my  astonishment,  I 
confess.  I  defy  the  world  to  produce  a  sect  or  party  who  would  have 
been  passive  under  like  circumstances.  Think  you  one  fear  urged 
submission  ?  let  my  simple  No,  be  word  enough  for  the  refutation  of 
the  base  slander.  They  came  there  ready  and  w  illing  to  die,  if  the 
sacrifice  was  necessary,  for  their  church  and  God. 


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9 


On  Monday,  J.  and  H,  Smith,  Dr.  Richards,  J.  Taylor,  with  a  few 
friends,  went  to  Carthage,  too  late  that  day  to  transact  business. — 
Joseph  and  Hirum  lodged  that  night  in  or  near  the  chamber  of  the 
Governor.  The  following  day  he  wrote  a  letter  to  his  wife,  which 
quieted  the  fears  of  the  people  ;  its  tenor  was  encouraging ;  he  had 
passed  a  good  night ;  but  the  very  atmosphere  of  Carthage  was  foul 
with  imprecations  that  burst  from  hearts  of  murderers,  already  so,  save 
in  opportunity  to  complete  the  act  that  has  forever  damned  them,  learn 
j  fiends  in  human  shape,  you  have  gone  a  step  beyond  repentance  ; 

.  to  your  graves  you’ll  crawl,  dreading  exposure  as  you  move  through 
the  mazes  of  life';  but  the  eye  of  God  is  on  you,  and  should  you 
j  escape  unwhipt  of  justice,  through  the  lenity  of  your  executive,  the 
curses  of  'the  honest  will  cross  you  at  every  turn,  while  the  prayers 
of  the  Saints  will  fill  all  space  in  Jehovah’s  mansion,  till  their  wrongs 
are  well  avenged.  Be  sure,  you  ore  fully  damned  here,  and  in  the 
world  to  come.  0  !  murderers  of  your  own  souls,  your  country’s 
honour,  and  its  sacred  laws!  hide  your  painted  carcasses  from  the 
bright  god  of  day ;  seek  the  dark  caves  of  earth,  or  speed  to  the 
dark  chambers  of  hell,  to  your  kindred  spirits,  where  without  doubt 
you  have  pre-existed.  Have  you  mothers,  wives,  children,  may  they 
f  quickly  fly  your  presence,  lest  some  portion  of  the  fiend,  that  is  now 
allyour  own,  be  transmitted  to  them,  that  &  there  still  remain  enough 
ot  hell  to  mar  the  fair  work  of  heaven. 

The  following  day  they  gave  bonds  for  their  appearance  at  the 
Circuit  Court  of  Hancock  co.  state  of  Illinois.  A  w  rit  for  high  trea. 
son  was  then  sued  by  Messrs.  Augustin  Spencer  and  Norton  ;  for 
some  fancied  offence  they  had  received  at  the  hands  of  Joseph 
Smith.  The  officer  was  then  commanded  in  the  name  of  the  people, 
to  receive  the  said  Joseph  Smith  and  Hirum  Smith  into  his  custo¬ 
dy,  in  the  jail  of  the  county  aforesaid,  there  to  remain  until  discharg¬ 
ed  by  law.  Given  under  my  hand  and  seal,  this  25th  day  ot  June9 
k  A.  D.  1844.  Signed  R.  F.  Smith,  J.  P. 

Now  this  was  a  false  commital,  to  imprison  without  an  examina- 
!  tion  as  to  their  guilt ;  but  as  it  is  not  our  purpose  in  these  few  pages 
to  question  the  legality  of  their  proceedings  at  Carthage,  we  will 
\  refer  you  to  the  annexed  remarks  of  Messrs.  Wood  &  Reid,  attor¬ 
neys  at  law.  Much  might  be  said  in  condemnation  of  the  militia 
'  encamped  at  Carthage  :  we  will  pass  it  over  slightly,  for  we  are  sick 
of  painting  horrors,  only  where  it  would  be  a  crime  to  be  silent ;  let 
.  us  remark,  that  good  breeding,  which  holds  the  half-civilized  world 
in  subjection,  had  forgot  to  take  up  its  quarters  with  the  Carthage 
Greys  and  the  Militia  of  Warsaw  ;  but  continued  its  march,  asham- 
\  cd  to  stand  a  witness  of  the  disgraceful  scenes  that  were  about  to 
\  follow*  The  Governor,  to  please  the  troops,  sent  to  uphold  the  supre- 
.  snacy  of  the  laws,  brought  General  Joseph  and  Genet  al  Hirum  Smith 


10 


and  presented  them  to  the  soldiery,  and  for  the  hot\or  intended  them 
they  received  groans  and  hisses.  We  don’t  say  the  Governor  was 
aware  of  this  hostile  feeling  toward  them,  or  that  in  his  heart  he  com¬ 
mends  them  for  it ;  but  to  keep  up  appearances,  for  this  unmiiitary 
conduct,  they  were  ordered  under  an  arrest.  How  much  they  may  have 
enjoyed  the  unmanly  joke  in  secret,  ’tis  not  our  purpose  to  say  here : 
we  believe  the  Macdonough  gentlemen  were  highly  displeased.  But 
order  was  soon  restored,  the  Greys  restored  to  favor,  as  tho  sequel 
will  show.  The  Governor  feeling  that  the  excitement  as  he  thought 
had  subsided,  ordered  tho  unnecessary  troops,  and  the  mob,  to  dis¬ 
perse  to  their  several  homes. 

June  27thl*the  pernicious  day  should  stand  aye  accursed  in  the  calen¬ 
dar’  the  Governor  left  Carthage  with  the  McDonough  troops,  friendly 
to  the  Mormons,  01  at  least  to  good  order,  as  a  guard  to  accompany 
him  to  Nauvoo,  and  left  some  60  or  70  of  the  Carthage  disaffected 
as  a  guard  to  the  jail  that  contained  Joseph  Smith,  Hirum  Smith, 
Elder  Taylor,  and  Doctor  Richards.  Now,  while  the  Governor  was 
at  Nauvoo,  kindly  received  by  its  citizens,  and  admonishing  them  to 
forbear  from  all  acts  of  violence,  with  remarks  of  a  pastor-like  char¬ 
acter,  that  they  should  be  praying  saints,  not  military  saints, — under 
the  virtue  of  his  high  authority  informing  them  that  if  any  thing  of  a 
serious  character  should  bcfal  the  lives  or  property  of  the  prime  mov. 
cis  of  this  outbreak,  the  Mormons  must  be  hold  responsible,  with 
many  more  conciliating  remarks,  he  then  turned  his  back  upon  Nau- 
voo,  fully  impressed  no  doubt  with  his  own  superiority,  when  con- 
•  trasted  with  the  despised  “  Mormons.”  But  what  was  going  on  at 
Carthage  at  this  hour.  The  lilinoian  honor  gone,  as  well  as  credit ! 

In  a  paltry  jail  in  the  close  neighborhood  of  a  wood,  the  Lord  of 
heaven  with  his  all-seeing  eye  was  noting  every  demon  that  was 
stealthily  issuing  therefrom,  and  signing  to  the  recording  angel  to 
register  them  in  the  book  that  seals  forever  the  children  of  the  damn¬ 
ed.  Here  stood  some  eight  men,  entrusted  with  the  honor  ant}  faith 
of  the  State,  and  the  pledge  for  the  personal  safety  of  four  defence¬ 
less  men — the  remaining  guard  of  some  50  or  60,  a  quarter  mile 
away :  does  not  this  seem  like  management, — the  god  of  day  seems 
hurrying  down  the  west  lest  he  should  be  a  witness  to  this  most  un- 
national  and  bloody  deed.  No  country  must  own  these  men  ;  they 
are  mendicants  that  dwell  in  the  purlieus  cf  the  damned.  On  they 
crouch  their  way  ;  they  have  lost  the  upright  posture  ;  two  hundred 
of  them,  their  fiendish  lineaments  daubed  black,  red  and  yellow ;  they 
have  reached  the  jail ;  the  guard  of  eight  offer  some  resistance  ;  their 
pieces  discharged  without  effect,  they  are  secured  ;  up  they  rush  a 
small  flight  of  stairs  ;  a  slight  door  opposes  them  ;  volley  after  vol¬ 
ley  passes  through  the  door ;  it  is  slightly  on  the  jar,  and  the  only 
weapon,  a  six  barrelled  pistol,  left  by  some  visitor,  pointed  through 


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the  door ;  three  barrels  discharged,  in  the  desperate  hope  the  guard 
|  would  come  to  their  relief ;  but  all  in  vain— in  an  instant  more  and 
j  they  are  welcomed  to  the  presence  of  their  God  ;  Joseph  has  four 
wounds,  the  “  least  a  death  to  nature’’ ;  as  if  not  enough,  after  fall- 
I  ing  from  the  jail  window  to  earth,  a  hundred  to  receive  him,  and 
.  one  butcher  misated,  pierced  his  body  through  with  a  knife  or  bayo- 
!  net.  Hirum  Smith  also  received  four  balls,  two  passed  into  his  head) 
j  one  entering  the  left  side  and  passing  through  tho  right,  the  last  thro’ 
the  left  leg:  Elder  Taylor,  five  balls  ;  they  are  flesh  wounds,  princi- 
|  pally  about  the  legs — one  ball  through  his  hand.  He  has  the  prayers 
of  tho  Saints  to  Drae^s  God  for  his  recovery.  Doctor  Richards’ 
j  escape  is  miraculous,  a  very  large  man,  and  in  the  midst  of  a  shower 
of  balls,  he  stood  unscathed,  with  the  excepl'on  of  a  hall  leaving  a 
slight  mark  such  as  the  head  of  a  pin  might  make,  close  under  the 
|  left  car,  grazing  the  jugular. 

Now  the  fiends,  without  doubt,  had  their  horses  close  at  hand. — 
Now  back  to  Warsaw,  or  some  such  place,  to  boast  of  this  heroic 


act  ! — that  200  painted  devils  had  killed  two  innocent  men  and 
t  wounded  one,  while  in  the  prisoners  sanctuary.  The  glory  of  the 
I  achievement  be  ever  with  you,  and  the  curse  of  every  honest  heart 
to  keep  it  company.  Now  all  was  on  the  move  to  get  clear  of  the 
I  excited  Mormons.  Carthage  that  night  was  emptied.  The  mur¬ 
dered  men,  with  a  few  exceptions,  was  all  that  remained  of  mortality, 
j  All  was  consternation  ;  a  messenger,  hastening  with  the  sad  news 
to  Nauvoo,  is  met  about  three  miles  from  Carthage;  tho  Governor 
!  orders  him  back  to  Carthage ;  passes  through  with  his  guard  some 
18  miles  beyond  Carthage,  to  a  place  of  safety;  he  is  heard  of  next 
at  Quincy,  collecting  troops.  The  news  so  sad  to  wives,  to  mothers 
and  tho  Church,  ere  the  dawn  of  another  day  has  reached  Nauvoo# 
Did  you  ever  experience  one  of  those  awful  pauses  that  precede  tho 
loud  bursting  thunder  of  the  gulf.  Such  was  the  silence  that  reign¬ 
ed  at  Nauvoo  ;  the  dread  calm  was  broken  by  the  wail  of  women 
and  the  loud  sighs  of  men.  in  that  hour  of  affliction  you  could  hear 
the  voice  of  prudence  checking  the  blood  now  coursing  wildly  thro’ 
i  runny  a  giant  frame,  with  hearts  swelling  with  indignation,  and  arms 
ready  <o  strike.  Patience,  brethren,  our  country’s  laws  will  redress 
us  ;  and  if  not,  then  will  our  God.  Such  is  the  fuith  and  toachings 
of  that  creed  that  in  an  hour  like  the  one  we  have  dwelt  on,  subdued 
their  hot  blood,  and  made' them  men  again.  The  neighboring  coun¬ 
ties  and  towns  were  all  astir  ;  the  Mormon  Prophet  and  his  brother 
Hirum,  Patriarch  of  the  Church,  had  fallen  martyrs  to  their  faith  ; — 
they  had  sealed  with  their  blood  its  divinity.  The  priests’  smile  was 
turned  to  a  frown  as  he  heard  the  infidel  utter  his  prediction-—1  Mor- 
y  1  monism  would  soon  number  a  host  as  sand  upon  the  sea-shore  ;  tho 
^  n  patriot  sighed  for  the  deep  stain  cast  upon  his  country,  questioning 


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UNIVERSITY  OF 
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12 

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with  himself  the  stability  of  his  government ;  and  the  man  without  a 
creed  asked,  why  is  this  persecution  T  It  caught  the  ear  of  the  priest, 
and  he  scowled  with  a  short  answer ; — They  are  deluded,  and  say 
they  are  the  true  church  of  Christ !  This  looks  half  like  it,  said  the 
sceptic — I  will  examine  it !  So  will  thousands,  said  we  alGud,  and 
passed  on. 

The  bodies  were  sent  for,  half  doubting  whether  they  would  be 
permitted  to  gaze  again  on  those  dead  features  that  had  in  life  dwelt 
kindly  on  them — that  had  freed  them  from  the  chains  of  a  false  creed 

—  smiled  in  their  hours  of  joy,  comforted  them  in  the  hour  of  their 
distress.  To  the  Carthage  road  all  eyes  were  turned.  Near  the 
half-built  temple  I  stood,  running  over  each  event  of  the  last  few 
days,  to  see  if  I  could  realize  this  unnatural  deed;  when  the  free 
grief  of  women  wailed  on  the  silence  of  the  spot,  told  me  of  its 
truth.  I  hastened  to  the  road — there  came  the  clay  of  men  beloved 
in  life  and  honored  in  their  death.  1  placed  myself  in  this  throng  of 
men,  and  then  thought  life  a  dream*  The  Prophet  and  a  friend  to 
me  who  but  a  few  short  days  ago  gave  his  counsel  with  a  smile  that 
bespoke  the  goodness  of  his  heart,  and  the  kind  “good  day”  of  Hi- 
rum,  as  he  passed  me  in  the  hall, — one  thought  of  doubt  came  ;  but 
it  passed  away,  and  left  me  stronger  in  the  faith.  This  unostenta¬ 
tious  cortege  now  reached  the  mansion  where  an  aged  mother  lin¬ 
gers,  and  the  wife  and  children  of  Joseph  Smith.  We  bore  the 
bodies  to  the  dining-hall.  I  will  not  describe  that  genuine  grief! 
O  !  the  sobs  of  that  pour  old  mother !  Imagine  you  the  rest  !  Dr. 
Richards,  a  piece  of  manliness  from  head  to  foot,  now  told  the  strong 
points  of  the  tale  of  blood,  that  for  cowardice  stands  unmatched. — 
Mildly  then  ho  spake,  admonishing  them  to  keep  the  peace  :  he  had 
pledged  his  honor  and  his  life  for  their  good  conduct ;  it  was  enough 

—  they  were  as  passive  as  obedient  children  to  a  kind  parent.  Oth¬ 
ers  spoke ;  night  came ;  and  that  vast  multitude  passed  to  their 
homes  (save  the  guard)  to  meditate  on  scenes  of  persecutions  gone, 
and  with  them  Prophet  and  Chief,  The  morrow  came,  and  in  coffins 
black  and  plain  rested  the  manes,  on  which  thousands  wept  and  pass¬ 
ed.  Guess  you  what  passed  within  their  hearts.  Mr.  Phelps  gave 
us  an  excellent  discourse,  and  at  the  same  hour,  of  five,  was  borne 
without  a  mark  of  show  to  the  sepulchre,  for  a  short  rest,  Joseph  and 
Hirum,  and  when  the  loud  trump  sounds  o’er  earth  and  air,  they’ll 
spring  to  life  immortal,  rejoicing  with  the  just.  Where  then  will 
stand  their  murderers  ? — howling  with  the  damned  ! 

Tiios.  A.  Lyne. 


V 


P.  S. — The  writer  requests  that  all  who  were  concerned  in  this 
nameless  butchery  will  purchase  a  copy  of  this  pamphlet,  preserve  it 
under  their  pillow,  and  in  their  hour  of  exit,  before  death  has  glazed 
their  eyes,  read  it,  and  then  ask  mercy  if  they  dare.  T.  A  .L. 


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STATEMENT  .OF  FACTS ! 

At  tho  request  of  many  persons  who  wish  that  the  truth  may  go 
forth  to  the  world  in  relation  to  tho  late  murder  of  Joseph  and  Hirum 
Smith,  by  a  band  of  lawless  assassins,  I  have  consented  to  make  a 
statement  of  the  facts  so  far  as  they  have  come  to  my  knowledge,  in 
an  authentic  shape,  as  one  of  the  attorneys  employed  to  defend  the 
said  Smiths  against  the  charges  brought  against  them,  and  other  per* 
sons  at  Carthage,  in  the  State  of  Illoinois. 

On  Monday  the  24lh  inst.,  at  the  request  of  Gen.  Joseph  Smith, 
1  left  Fort  Madison  in  the  Territory  of  Iowa  and  arrived  at  Carthago 
where  I  expected  to  meet  the  General,  his  brother  Hyrum  and  the 
other  persons  implicated  with  them  :  they  arrived  at  Carthage  late  at 
night,  and  next  morning  voluntarily  surrendred  themselves  to  the  con¬ 
stable,  Mr.  Botterswortb,  who  held  the  writ  against  them  on  a  charge 
of  riot  for  destroying  the  press,  type  and  fixtures  of  the  Nauvoo  Ex¬ 
positor,  the  property  of  William  and  Wilson  Law,  and  other  dissenters 
charged  to  have  been  destroyed  onthe  10th  inst 

Great  excitement  prevailed  in  the  county  of  Hancock,  and  had 
extended  to  many  of  the  surrounding  counties.  A  large  numbor  of 
tho  militia  of  several  counties  were  under  arms  at  Carthage  the  Head 
Quarters  of  the  commanding  Gen.  Deming  ;  and  many  other  troops 
were  under  arms  at  Warsaw  and  other  places  in  the  neighborhood. 
The  Governor  was  at  Head  Quarters  in  person,  for  the  purpose  of 
seeing  that  the  laws  of  the  land  were  executed,  and  had  pledged  bis 
own  faith  and  the  faith  of  the  State  of  Illinois  that  the  Smiths  and  tho 
other  persons  concerned  with  them  should  be  protected  from  personal 
violence,  if  theywould  surrender  themselves  to  be  dealt  with  according 
to  law.  During  the  two  succeeding  days  his  Excellency  repeatodly 
expressed  to  the  legal  counsellors  of  the  Smiths  his  determination  to 
protect  the  prisoners  and  to  see  that  they  should  have  a  fair  and  impar¬ 
tial  examination  so  far  as  depended  on  the  Executive  of  the  State. 
On  Tuesday  morning  soon  after  the  surrender  of  the  prisoners  on  the 
charge  of  riot,  Gen.  Joseph  Smith  and  his-  brother  Hyrum  were 
both  arrested  on  a  charge  of  treason  against  the  State  of  Illinois. — - 
The  affidavits  upon  which  the  writs  issued  were  made  by  Henry 
Norton  and  Augustine  Spencer. 

On  Tuesday  afternoon  the  two  Smiths  and  others  persons  on 
the  samo  charge  of  riot  appeared  before  R.  F.  Smith,  a  justice  of  the 
peace  residing  at  Carthage,  and  by  advice  of  counsel,  in  order  to 
prevent  if  possible  any  increase  of  excitement,  voluntarily  entered  into 
recognizance  in  the  3um  of  five  hundred  dollars  each  with  unexcep¬ 
tionable  security,  for  their  appearance  at  tho  next  term  of  the  Circuit 


14 


Court  for  said  county.  The  whole  number  of  persons  recognized  is 
fifteen,  most  if  not  all  of  the  leading  men  in  tho  Mormon  church. 

Making  out  the  bonds  and  justifying  bail  necessarily  consumed  con- 
siderable  time,  and  when  this  was  done  it  was  near  night  and  tho 
Justice  adjourned  his  court  ovei  without  calling  on  the  Smiths  to  an¬ 
swer  to  the  charge  of  treason  or  ever  intimating  to  their  counsel  or 
the  prisoners  that  they  were  expected  to  enter  into  the  examination 
that  night.  In  less  than  an  hour  after  the  adjournment  of  the  court, 
constable  Betterswonh  who  had  arrested  the  prisoners  in  the  morning 
appeared  at  Hamilton’s  Hotel,  at  the  lodgings  of  the  prisoners  and 
their  counsel  and  insisted  that  the  Smiths  should  go  to  jail,  Mr.  Woods 
of  Burligton,  Iowa,  and  myself,  a3  .counsel  for  the  prisoners,  insisted 
that  they  were  entitled  to  be  brought  before  the  justice  for  examina¬ 
tion  before  they  could  be  sent  to  jail.  The  constable  to  our  surprise 
thereupon  exhibited  a  mittemus  from  said  justice  as  follows  : 

STATE  OF  ILLINOIS,  1 
Hancock  County  J 

The  people  of  the  State  of  Illinois  to  the  keeper  of  the  Jail  of  the 
said  county  greeting  : 

Whereas  Joseph  Smith  and  Hyrum  Smith  of  the  county  aforesaid 
have  been  arrested  upon  the  oath  of  Augustine  Spencer  and  Henry 
O.  Norton  for  the  crime  ot  treason  and  has  been  brought  before  me 
as  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  and  for  said  county,  for  trial  at  the  seat 
of  justice  thereof;  which  trial  has  been  necessarily  postponed  by  rea¬ 
son  of  the  absence  of  material  witnesses  to  wit :  Francis  M.  Higbee 
and  others  ;  therefore  I  command  you  in  the  name  of  the  people  to 
receive  the  said  Joseph  Smith  and  Hyrum  Smith  into  your  custody 
in  the  jail  of  the  county  aforsaid,  there  to  remain  until  discharged  by 
due  course  of  law. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  this  25th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1844. 
(Signed,)  R.  F.  SMITH,  J.  P.  [L.S.] 

His  Excellency  did  not  think  it  within  the  sphere  of  his  duty  to 
interfere,  and  the  prisoners  were  removed  from  their  lodgings  to  jail. 
The  recitals  ol  the  mittimus  so  far  as  they  relate  to  the  prisoners  hav¬ 
ing  beenbrought  be  fore  the  justice  for  trial,  and  it  there  appearing  that 
the  necessary  witness  of  the  prosecution  were  absent,  is  wholly  untrue, 
unless  the  prisoner  could  have  appeared  before  the  justice  without  be¬ 
ing  present  in  person  or  by  counsel  ;  nor  is  there  any  law  of  Illinois 
within  my  knowledge  which  permits  a  justice  to  commit  persons 
charged  with  crimes,  to  jail  without  examination  as  to  the  probability  of 
their  guilt. 

On  Wednesday  forenoon  the  Governor  in  company  with  one  of  his 
liiends  visited  the  prisoners  at  the  jail,  and  again  assured  them  that 
they  should  be  protected  from  violence,  and  told  them  that  if  the 
troops  marched  the  noxt  morning  to  Nauvoo  as  his  Excellence  then 


.  I 

I 

*' 


expected  they  should  be  taken  along  in  order  to  insure  their  personal 
safety. 

On  the  same  morning  some  ono  or  more  of  tho  counsel  for  the 
prosecution  expressed  their  wish  to  me,  that  the  prisoners  should  bo 
brought  out  of  jail  for  examination  ;  they  were  answered  that  tho 
prisoner  had  already  been  commuted,  and  that  the  justice  and  con¬ 
stable  had  no  further  control  of  the  prisoners  ;  and  that  if  the  prosecu¬ 
tors  wished  the  prisoners  brought  out  of  jail,  they  should  bring  them 
out  on  a  writ  of  Habeas  Corpus  or  some  other  due  course  of  law. — 
The  constable  after  this  conversation  went  to  the  jail  with  the  follow¬ 
ing  order  to  the  jailor : 

STATIC  OF  ILLINOIS,  ) 

Hancock  county.  j  * 

To  David  Bettersworth,  constable  of  said  county  : 

You  are  commanded  to  bring  the  bodies  of  Joseph  Smith  and  Ily- 
rum  Smith  ftom  the  jail  of  said  county,  forthwith  before  me  at  my 
office  for  an  examination  on  the  charge  of  treason,  they  having  been 
committed  for  safe  keeping  until  trial  could  be  had  on  such  examina¬ 
tion,  and  the  state  now  being  ready  for  such  examination. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  this  26  day  of  June  1S44. 

(Signed,)  R.  F.  SMITH,  J.  P.  [L.S.] 

And  demanded  the  prisoners,  but  as  the  jailor  could  find  no  law 
authorizing  a  justice  of  the  peace,  to  demand  prisoners  committed  to 
his  charge,  he  refused  to  give  them  up,  until  discharged  from  his  cus¬ 
tody  by  due  course  of  law.  Upon  the  refusal  to  give  up  the  prison¬ 
ers,  the  commpany  of  Carthage  Greys  marched  to  the  jail,  by  whose* 
orders  I  know  not,  and  compelled  the  jailor  against  his  will  and  con¬ 
viction  of  duty,  to  deliver  the  prisoners  to  the  constable,  who  forth¬ 
with,  took  them  before  Justice  Smith,  the  Captain  of  the  Carthage 
Greys.  The  counsel  for  the  prisoners  then  appeared,  and  asked 
for  subpoenas  for  witness  on  the  part  of  the  prisoners,  and  expressed 
their  wish  to  go  into  their  examination,  as  the  tfiinessess  could  be 
brought  from  Nauvoo  to  Carthago;  the  justice  thereupon  fixed  the 
examination  for  12  o’clock,  on  Thursday  the  27th  inst ;  whereupon,, 
the  prisoners  were  remanded  to  prison.  Soon  after  a  council  ot  the 
military  officers  was  called  by  the  Governor,  and  it  was  determined  to 
march  on  the  next  morning,  the  27  inst.  to  Nauvoo,  w’ith  all  the  troops 
except  one  company  which  was  to  be  selected  by  the  Governor  from 
tho  troops  whose  fidelity  was  more  to  be  relied  on,  to  guard  the  pri¬ 
soners  whom  it  was  determined  should  be  left  at  Carthage.  On 
Thursday  morning  another  consultation  of  officers  took  place,  and  the 
.  former  orders  for  marching  to  Nauvoo  with  the  whole  army,  were 
countermanded.  One  company  were  ordered  to  accompany  the 
Governor  to  Nauvoo ;  the  Carthage  Grays,  who  had  but  two  days 
before,  been  under  arrest  for  insulting  the  commanding  General,  and 
whose  conduct  had  been  more  hostile  to  the  prisoners,  than  that  of 


1C 


any  other  company,  were  selected  to  guard  the  prisoners,  and  the 
other  troops  including  those  rendezvoused  at  Golden’s  Point,  from 
Warsaw,  and  who  had  been  promised  that  they  should  be  marched  to 
Nanvoo,  were  disbanded.  A  guard  of  only  eight  men  was  stationed 
at  the  jail,  whilst  the  rest  of  the  Grayes  was  in  camp  at  a  quarter  of 
a  mile’s  distance,  and  whilst  his  excellency  was  harranguing  the  peaec-* 
able  citizens  of  Nauvoo,  and  asking  them  to  give  up  all  their  oxon 
arms,  the  assassins  were  murdering  the  prisoners  in  jail,  whom  the 
Governor  had  pledged  himself  and  the  faith  of  the  State  to  protect. 

H.  T.  REID. 


At  the  request  of  the  friends  of  Joseph  and  Hyrum  Smith,  I  have 
consented  to  give  a  statement  of  such  matters  as  I  had  a  knowledge 
of  in  relation  to  their  murder  at  Carthage,  and  what  occured  under 
my  observation.  I  arrived  in  Nauvoo  from  Burlington,  Iowa,-  on 
Friday  Juno  21st,  inst.,  about  0  o’clock,  P.  M.,  fonnd  all  things 
quiet,  had  an  interview  on  Saturday  morning  the  22nd,  with  Joseph 
and  Hyrum  Smith,  who  was  in  consultation  with  some  of  their  friends 
in  relation  to  a  communication  from  Gov.  Ford,  during  the  interview 
heard  Gen.  Joseph  Smith  give  orders  to  disband  the  Legion,  and 
withdraw  the  guards  and  sentinels,  who  were  co-operating  with  the 
police  to  preserve  the  peace  of  the  city,  as  he  said  by  order  of  Gov. 
Ford  ;  that  I  went  from  Nauvoo  to  Carthage,  on  the  evening  of  the 
22d,  when  I  had  an  interview  with  Gov.  Ford,  assuring  him  as  to 
the  quiet  of  Nauvoo,  and  that  Smith  and  his  friends  were  ready  to 
obey  the  laws.  I  was  told  that  the  Constable  with  a  posse  had  that 
evening  gone  to  Nauvoo  with  a  writ  for  Smith  and  others,  and  that 
nothing  short  of  an  unconditional  surrender  to  the  laws  could  allay 
the  excitement.  I  was  then  imformed  by  Gov.  Ford  he  wag  pledged 
to  protect  all  such  porsons  as  might  be  arrested  and  that  they  should 
have  an  impartial  examination,  and  that  if  Smith  and  the  rest  against 
whom  warrants  had  been  irsued,  would  come  to  Carthage  by  Monday 
the  24th  inst.,  it  would  be  a  compliance  on  their  part,  and  on  Sunday 
morning  tho  23d,  Gov.  F ord  pledged  his  word  that  if  Gen.  Smith 
would  come  to  Carthage,  he  should  by  him  be  protected,  with  such  of 
his  friends  as  might  accompany  him,  and  that  I  as  his  counsel  should 
have  protection  in  defending  Smith  ;  that  I  returned  to  Nauvoo,  on 
Sunday  evening  the  23d,  and  I  found  Gen.  J.  Smith  and  Hiiam 
Smith,  making  preparation  to  go  to  Carthage  on  Monday,  and  on 
Monday  morning  the  24  I  left  the  city  of  Nauvoo  in  company  with 
Joseph  and  Hiram  Smith,  and  some  fifteen  other  persons,  parties 
and  witnesses  for  Carthage;  that  about  four  miles  west  from  Carthage, 
we  were  met  by  a  company  of  about  60  men  under  Capt.  Dunn  ;  that 
at  the  request  of  Gen.  Joseph  Smith,  I  advanced  and  communicated 
w  ith  the  Commander  of  the  company,  and  was  informed  he  was  on 


-sArt* 


i 


his  way  to  Nauvoo,  with  an  order  from  Gov.  Ford,  for  the  State 
Arms  at  that  place ;  that  itwas  agreed  by  myself  on  behalf  of  Gen. 
Smith,  that  the  order  for  the  arms  should  be  endorsed  by  Gen.  Smith, 
and  that  ho  should  place  himself  under  the  piotcction  of  Captain 
Dunnj  to  return  to  Nauvoo  and  see  the  Governor’s  order  promptly 
obyced)  and  return  with  Cap.  Dunn  to  Carthage  ;  Capt.  Dunn,  pledg¬ 
ing  his  word  as  a  military  man,  that  Smith  and  his  friends  should  be 
protected  ;  that  the  order  was  endorsed  by  Gen.  Smith,  which  was 
communicated  by  Captain  Dunn  to  Gov.  Ford,  with  a  letter  from  Gen. 
Smith  imforming  the  Gov.,  that  he  would  accompany  Captain  Dunn 
to  Carthage.  I  left  the  company  and  proceeded  to  Carthage,  that 
about  12  at  night  of  the  24th  Capt.  Dunn  returned  with  the  State 
Arms  from  Nauvoo  accompaned  by  Joseph  and  Hyram,  with  some 
13  others,  who  where  charged  with  a  riot  in  destroying  the  Printing 
Press  of  the  Nauvoo  Expositor,  that  on  the  morning  of  the  25th, 
Joseph  and  Hyrum  Smith  with  others  charged,  surrendered  themselves 
to  the  Constable,  and  at  the  same  time  Joseph  and  Hiram  Smith  were 
arrested  on  a  charge  of  Treason  against  the  State  of  Illinois,  that  about 
3  o’clock  P.  M.  on  the  25th  the  Justice,  proceeded  to  the  examination  in 
relation  to  the  riot  and  after  a  good  deal  of  resistance  on  tho  part  of  the 
prosecution,  we  were  permitted  to  enter  into  a  recognizance  to 
answer  at  the  next  term  of  the  CircuitjCourt  ;  that  we  were  engaged 
until  dark,  in  making  out  and  giving  our  recognizances  ;  that  in 
consequence  of  the  rumors  as  to  the  excitoment  at  Warsaw  and  other 
points,  and  to  allay  the  fears  of  the  citizens  of  Nauvoo,  I  requested 
Governor  Ford  to  detail  a  company  to  Nauvoo,  to  protect  the  city, 
which  request  was  promptly  complied  with,  and  that  night  Captain 
Singleton,  with  a  company  of  men  from  McDonough  county  march¬ 
ed  to  Nauvoo  and  took  possession  of  the  city  and  remained  until  tho 
evening  of  tho  27th,  when  they  took  up  their  line  of  march  for  Car-  * 
thage. 

After  the  matter  of  the  riot  was  disposled  of,  the  Justice  left, 
without  saying  anything  in  relation  to  the  examination  for  treason,  and 
in  about  one  hour  the  constable  returned  with  a  mittimus,  a  copy  of 
which  accompanies  the  statement  of  my  colleague,  H.  T.  Read,  a 
copy  of  which  was  demanded  and  refused ;  that  I  requested  tho  offi¬ 
cer  to  wait  until  I  could  see  Gov.  Ford,  and  was  told  he  would  wait  five 
minutes,  and  as  I  went  to  the  door  I  met  Cap.  Dunn,  with  some 
twenty  men  to  guard  the  prisoners  to  jail ;  that  I  accompaned  Gov. 
Ford  to  the  justice  R.  F.  Smith,  who  gave  as  a  cause  [for  issuing 
the  warrant  of  committal ;  that  the  prisoners  were  not  personally  safe 
at  the  hotel. 

I  then  requested  the  Governor  to  have  a  company  detailed  to  guard 
the  jail,  which  was  done,  and  they  arrived  at  the  jail  about  the  same 
time  as  the  prisoners.  On  the  morning  of  the  26th,  the  Governor 
visited  the  jail  in  company  with  a  friend,  at  which  interview  the  Gov* 


81 


ernor  again  pledged  himself  for  their  personal  safety,  and  said  if  the 
troops  went  to  Nauvoo,  as  was  then  contemplated,  that  they  should 
go  along  to  ensure  their  protection  ;  that  after  the  interview  at  the  jail, 
the  counsel  for  the  prosecution  wanted  the  prisoners  brought  beforo 
the  justice  for  examination,  to  which  the  counsel  for  the  prisoners 
replied,  that  they  were  committed  until  discharged  by  due  course  of 
law,  and  that  we  could  do  nothing  until  the  prisoners  were  legally  be¬ 
fore  the  court,  where  we  would  appear  and  defend  ;  that  the  justice, 
R.  F.  Smith  gavo  the  constable  an  order  (a  copy  of  which  accom¬ 
panies  the  statement  of  H.  T.  Reid,  Esq.,)  for  the  jailor  to  deliver  up 
the  prisoners,  which  the  jailor  refused  to  do  ; — that  the  constable  then 
repaired  to  the  jail  with  a  company  called  M  Carthage  Greys,”  of  whom 
the  justice,  R.  F.  Smith,  was  the  captain,  but  not  then  in  command  ; 
and  by  intimidation  and  threats,  forced  the  jailor  to  give  up  the  pri¬ 
soners  to  the  constable,  who  took  them  before  the  justice,  R.  F. 
Smith,  at  the  Court  House  ;  that  on  the  motion  of  the  counsel  for  tho 
prisoners,  the  examination  was  posponed  until  the  27tl»,  12  o’clock, 
and  subpoenas  issued  for  witnesses  on  the  defence.  The  two  Smiths 
were  then  remanded  to  jail  and  orders  were  issued  for  a  consnltation 
of  the  officers,  with  the  commander-in-chief,  and  it  was  determined 
that  the  troops  should  take  up  a  line  of  march  at  8  o’clock,  on  tho 
morning  of  the  27th,  for  Nauvoo,  and  after  the  consu’tition,  the  jus¬ 
tice,  who  was  one  of  the  officers  in  command,  altered  the  return  of  tho 
subpoenas  until  the  29th,  and  continued  the  hearing  until  that  time, 
without  consulting  either  their  prisoners  or  the  counsel  ;  th  it  on  tho 
morning  of  the  27th,  the  order  for  marching  to  Nauvoo,  wa9  counter¬ 
manded,  and  all  the  troops  disbanded  but  the  company  under  Capt. 
Siugleton  at  Nauvoo,  Capt.  Dunn’s  company  of  horse,  and  the  Car¬ 
thage  Greys  ;  that  the  Governor  determined  to  visit  Nauvoo,  escorted 
by  Capt.  Dunn’s  company  ;  and  the  Carthage  Greys  were  left  as  a 
guard  for  the  prisoners  at  the  jail;  that  after  the  troops  were  disbanded, 
I  requested  Gov.  Ford  to  detail  some  men  to  guard  the  rout  to  War¬ 
saw,  as  I  apprehended  much  danger  from  that  place,  but  1  do  not 
know  whether  it  was*  done  or  not,  as  I  left  Carthage  about  1 1  o’clock, 
A.  M.,  and  came  to  Nauvoo  ;  that  Gov.  Ford  and  his  aid,  Col.  Buck- 
master,  escorted  by  Capt.  Dunn’s  company,  arrived  in  Nauvoo  about 
5  o’clock,  P.  M.,  where  he  addressed  the  citizens,  and  promised 
them  protection,  and  a  just  execution  of  the  laws,  and  immediately 
left  the  city  for  Carthage. 

JAMES  W.  WOODS, 
Attorney  at  Law,  of  Burlington,  Iowa. 


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1  . 


A  BRIEF  OUTLINE, 

OF  THE 

FAITH  &  DOCTRINE  OF  THE  LATTER  DAY  SAINTS. 


Tho  fi^st  principle  of  theology  as  held  by  this  Church, Faith  in  God 
the  Eternal  Father,  and  in  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  who  verily  was  cru¬ 
cified  for  the  sins  of  tho  world,  and  who  rose  from  the  dead  on  the  third 
day,  and  is  now  seated  at  the  right  hand  of  God  as  a  mediator,  and  in 
the  Iloly  Ghost  who  bears  record  of  them,  the  same  to  day  as  yester¬ 
day,  and  forever.  The  second  principle  is  Repentance  towards  God  ; 
that  is  all  men  who  believe  in  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  are 
required  to  turn  away  from  their  sins,  to  cease  from  their  evil  deeds, 
and  to  come  humble  before  the  throne  of  grace  with  a  broken  heart 
and  a  contrite  spirit.  The  third  principle  is  Baptism,  by  immersion 
in  water,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost,  for  remis- 
sin  of  sins,  with  the  promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  all  who  believe 
and  obey  the  gospel.  The  fourth  principle  is  the  laying  on  of  hands 
in  the  namo  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  This 
ordinance  is  to  be  administered  by  the  apostle  or  elders  of  tho 
Church,  upon  all  those  who  are  baptized  in  the  Church.  Through 
those  several  stops  of  faith  and  obedience,  man  is  made  partaker  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  lumbered  with  the  children  of  God.  Through 
this  process  man  is  adopted  into  tho  Church  and  kingdom  of  God, 
as  one  of  his  Saints  :  his  name  is  then  emolcd  in  the  book  of  the  names 
of  the  righteous  and  it  then  becoms  his  duty  to  watch,  to  pray,  to  deal 
justly  ;  and  to  meet  together  with  the  saints  as  oft  as  circumstances 
will  admit  of ;  and  with  them  to  partake  of  bread  and  wine  in  remem¬ 
brance  of  the  broken  body,  and  shed  blood  of  Jesus  Christ;  and  in 
short,  to  continue  faithful  unto  the  end,  in  all  the  duties  which  are 
enjoined  by  the  Law  of  Christ.  Fifth,  it  is  tho  duty  and  privilege  of 
the  saints  thus  organized  upon  the  everlasting  gospel,  to  believe  in  and 
enjoy  all  the  gifts,  powers  and  blessings  which  flow  from  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Such  for  instance  as  the  gifts  of  revelation,  prophecy,  visions 
t  i0  mystery  of  angels,  healing  the  sick  by  laying  on  of  hands  in  the 
name  of  Jesus,  and  in  short  all  the  gifts  as  mentioned  in  scripture,  or 
as  enjoyed  by  the  ancient  saints. 

This  is  a  brief  outline  of  the  doctrine  of  this  Church,  and  wo  believe 
that  it  is  the  only  system  of  Doctrine  which  God  ever  revealed  to  man 
in  a  gospel  dispensation,  and  the  only  system  which  can  be  maintained 
by  the  New  Testament. 


A 


■  <1 

y. 

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* 


t. 


73  o  -  s 


UNIVER9ITY  OF  ILLINOI9-URBANA 


